-Guardians' Tale- Souls
by Chiharo12
Summary: Three-year-old Core-ollette's parents are killed by the insectoid Drones and she receives special cat powers. Nine years later, when she is on a Drone hunt, she meets the being who sent the Drones to kill her parents and he sends her on a journey to seek a man named Jackal. As she's travelling and meeting her teammates, she continually dreams of a girl and a purple dragon.
1. Prologue

-Guardians' Tale-

Souls

Prologue: The Core of Souls

"Am I special? Was I meant for anything? Anything at all? If not, then… why am I here?"

"Core-ollette, it's time to eat, honey!"

"Okay!" The girl slid off her bed and headed down the stairs to the kitchen.

The girl's name is Core-ollette Lee, age three. She is a young humanoid living in the great land of Flame Fang, New Mesopotamia-3.

"Here, Angel, have some chicken and potatoes," her dad told her, handing the girl a plate with food.

Core-ollette took her plate with a smile and sat down at the table, her short, dark brown hair lightly bouncing.

She is a girl of few words, rarely talking to any other humanoid. Core-ollette is often seen talking to other "beings" around her.

"Is it good, honey?" her mom asked, gently.

The girl's hypnotizing yellow and brown eyes shifted up. She nodded slowly.

Truly, she loved her parents, but… she always had trouble expressing her feelings to them or around them.

And, for some reason, Core-ollette had a greatly disturbing foreboding feeling. She finished her food and said, "Thank you," as she headed back to her room. Core-ollette would surely regret not telling her parents she loved them that night.

A few hours later…

_Bang!_

_Crash!_

The girl's eyes snapped open. She sat up and looked around. The sound of something horrible hit her ears-her mother screaming.

Core-ollette ran down the stairs to see something completely and utterly horrifying. Insectoid creatures were standing over the bloody and motionless figures of the girl's mother and father.

One of the insectoids turned its head towards her. "Consider this our gift to you, Core of Souls. We are the Drones and we look forward to meeting you again. Farewell, until then."

And, with that, the group of Drones left the practically petrified Core-ollette all alone.

"…Mom… Dad…," she choked through her tears. The girl glanced around. All of the electrical appliances in her house were letting off waves of electricity.

Without warning, a large electric pulse came from all around the girl. A great energy surged through her. Core-ollette closed her eyes. She felt her ears changing, she felt a strange tingling in her tail bone, and her eyes felt strained.

After a few moments, the electrical surge subsided. Core-ollette opened her eyes slowly. She looked around. Everything seemed… clearer… more distinct.

Her new tall, pointy ears twitched and her furry tail flicked… Wait! What?! Pointy ears?! Tail?!

She ran over to the nearest mirror and peered at her reflection. The first thing Core noticed was her hair. No longer was it just regular dark brown. Her bangs were now a light brown and other light brown streaks could be seen in her hair.

The second thing the girl noticed were the black cat-like ears on her head. She felt them. Yes, there was no denying, they were real.

Third, her eyes caught her eye. The pupils were no longer round. They were skinnier and went into points at the top and bottom.

And, the last thing, aside from her fluffy black tail, was her nose. It reminded her of the nose of a cat.

None of this made any sense to the girl. But, she did know one thing for sure. The girl turned to where her mom's and dad's bodies lay and said, "I swear by the Lord, I will avenge your deaths and the world shall know me when that times comes."

Out of nowhere, she saw a blue glow coming from the other side of the room. Core-ollette walked over to it, slowly. What she found surprised her. It was a blue jewel in the shape of a teardrop.

"So… pretty…," the girl said. She picked it up and realized that it was a necklace. So, she put it around her neck.

And so, her adventure bagan…

* * *

**Please read and review! It really keeps me inspired.**


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter One: On the Prowl

Core-ollette felt a surge of energy as she transformed into Kitty Girl- The Core of Souls. Not only did she grow her ears and tail, her outfit changed from her usual long-sleeved, short-skirted dress, with a scarf around her neck, and boots and leggings to her bustier belly-top, arm-warmers, shin-tight pants, and boots. She also had a new feature- claws.

It has been nine years since her parents' death. She is twelve now. Core-ollette has two personalities: the happy, sweet-natured girl we all know and the feisty, adventure-yearning cat girl.

She let out a pleased "meow" as she looked down at herself. And, for the finishing touch, she put on her black kitty mask.

Over the course of nine years, Core has taken out many Drone. She lost count after, oh let's say, fifty. At that moment, she was on yet another Drone Hunt.

It isn't that Core likes to kill. She is not only in it for revenge but for the pleasure. Every time she fights another Drone, they show a different set of skills than the last and she gains more experience.

Her eyes scanned the ground below her. There were no Drones at the doorway. So, either she was walking into a trap or they just had no idea what the word "defense" means.

A smile spanned Core-ollette's face- normally a very bad sign for someone she's hunting. The Kitty Girl leapt off of the tree branch she was on right through the door. And, just as she suspected, she was surrounded by Drones as soon as she was in.

Core looked around with a smile on her face. "Don't you know?" she asked. "You're going to have to make some more noise if we're going to have a party."

Two of the Drones charged at her. Core's smile grew broader. She spun around swiftly then brought her leg up neatly and kicked one of the insectoids in the head. In one smooth motion, she spun again and grabbed the other Drone's arm. To which she flung him over her on top of the Drone she just took out.

"Is that the best you can do?" Core-ollette taunted them.

She received several 'I don't believe this!' looks.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter Two: Orryn

"What do you expect from us, Core of Souls?" one Drone questioned.

"Yes. We are not gifted with half of the power you possess," another agreed.

Core-ollette felt her face redden. "Excuse me?" she barked. "It's because of your race that I am the way I am!"

"Are you upset with what you have become?" a third insectoid piped up.

She opened her mouth to retort but stopped herself. Was she upset about having her powers? Why should she be? "W-well… I…"

"Come," the first Drone said, beckoning her. "We have someone who wishes to see you."

Core felt more than a little awkward. "Um… why are you being nice to me, after I hurt some of you?"

"Not all of us are evil," the second answered.

"Some of us are rather forgiving," the third added.

Not having anything to lose, the Kitty Girl followed the insectoids. She even decided to change back to her regular form. The Drones watched in awe, as her outfit changed, her ears, tail, and claws retracted, and she took off her mask.

The lead Drone knocked on a more-than-large-enough door and received a, "Come in and be seated," from a deep male voice. The insectoid opened the door and allowed Core-ollette to step in.

It was rather warm inside the room and what met Core's eyes was quite a shock to her. An enormous orange dragon with shining gold spines lay in the center of the room. He shifted his gaze to the girl, as she came closer.

"Hello, young one," his voice rumbled.

"H-hello," she greeted, curtsying.

"You must be Core-ollette Lee, The Core of Souls," he said.

"Um… Y-yes," she stuttered.

"I am Orryn, great dragon of fire," the dragon stated. He lowered his head to get a better look at the girl. "I see you found the Soul Emblem I sent for you to receive."

"What? Y-you mean you were the one who sent the Drones to kill my parents?" Core asked, anger rising.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter Three:

The Sacrosanct Souls

"It was a necessary evil," Orryn answered Core, apologetically. "I did not mean for Karglen to be so forceful in his doing, though."

"Forcefu—That was slaughter! Murder even!" Kitty Girl was beginning to return. "Why would you even think of letting that happen?"

"I apologize, but something devastating had to happen, for you to awaken your powers," the dragon said, soothingly. "And, if you wish to know, you are not the only Sacrosanct Soul. There are others," he added.

"Sacrosanct Souls?" the brunette tilted her head.

"Yes, the Souls are a select group of humanoids that must go through an extremely dejecting time, to reveal their powers," Orryn explained. "And you, young Core-ollette, are their leader.

This struck Core like lightning to water. "I-I what?" she stuttered, feeling warm.

"You must find and lead the Sacrosanct Souls. And, you should know, that in the future, you will be needed."

"B-but, how do I know what to do? Where do I begin?" How do I—"

"Slow down, Core-ollette," the fire dragon interrupted. "You will learn everything in time. As for where to begin… seek out a man named Jackal. He is well known in northern Mesopotamia. You may have even come across him and did not know it."

"How will I know if it's him, though?" she asked, weakly.

"Oh, there's no need to worry about that. He knows you better than you know yourself," Orryn chuckled.

"What? H-how?" she shook her head, confused. "How is that possible?"

"Jackal has known your family for generations. Believe me, he's not as young as he seems."

Core looked into his eyes pleadingly.

Orryn smiled. "Do not fear, young one. Everything will be fine," he reassured her. "And, before you go, I've heard he's been looking for you, as well."

She looked up at him thoughtfully, stood up, and left.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter Four: Poccrian

After leaving Orryn and being kindly let out by the Drones, Core-ollette set for the Fire Ziggurat. It was supposedly one of Jackal's favorite places to be. She found that running on all-fours in kitty form was faster than running regularly.

Core stopped to take a breath._ Why am I doing this?_ she thought, to herself._ Is this really worth it?_

As if answering, a voice said, "Of course it's worth it. Don't you want to help save the world?"

The Kitty Girl glanced around, in a panic. "Wh-who said that? Show yourself!" she demanded.

A small, scaly, red creature rustled out of some bushes. He had wings and a long tail. There were horns on his head too.

"Who are you?" Core questioned, relaxing slightly.

"I am Poccrian, imp of flames," he answered, proudly.

"How did you know what I was thinking?" the brunette questioned, suspiciously.

"Oh, that's easy," the imp said. "I can read minds."

_Great. Just what I needed- a mind reading imp_. She sighed. "Well, what are you doing here?"

"Orryn told me he'd appreciate it if I came and watched over you." Poccrian smiled. "You must be Core-olletti."

"Um, it's Core-ollette," she said, not quite sure what to make of it.

"Hmm," the imp pondered. "I like Core-olletti better. It sounds cuter, like you."

The girl blushed much more than a little. "U-uh… I, uh…"

"Heh heh!" Poccrian laughed. Then, taking flight, he said, "We should probably keep going if you wish to meet Jackal."

Core nodded. "Let's go."

"Onward!" the imp called.

. . .

"So, Poccrian… uh… what do you like to do?" Core asked, awkwardly as they steadily made their way to the Fire Ziggurat.

The imp flew around the girl then landed on her head saying, "I enjoy blowing stuff up."

Core laughed. "I agree. I think explosions are pretty!" She shifted her gaze up to the little lizard. "I'm glad you came to watch over me."

The Fire Ziggurat was in their sight but no person was. And, before they had a chance to walk any further, a voice commanded, "Don't move."


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter Five: The Jackal and the Kitty

Core-ollette twitched as someone laid a hand on her shoulder (she's back in her regular form now).

"Hello, Core of Souls," the voice, obviously a male's, said. His tone was kind yet forceful. It gave her the feeling she had met him before.

Without turning around, she answered, "Hello. You must be the one called 'Jackal'."

"Yes," came the reply.

Poccrian, who had been scared stiff, hopped off Core's head and flew around Jackal. Core-ollette turned around and peered into his eyes.

His eyes were a deep chocolate brown. He had scruffy, longish black hair. His smile was kind yet sly. Jackal was tall and slim- at least a foot taller than Core. His clothes were dark and slimming.

Seeing Core-ollette's entranced face, Poccrian laughed and asked, "Would you like me to leave you two alone for a moment?"

Core turned towards him, her face red. She opened her mouth to yell but stopped herself- she's supposed to be making a good impression! She took a deep breath and, calmly, said, "Would you kindly keep your remarks to yourself?"

The little imp laughed again. "Aaaw, come on. I'm your comic relief, I can't just stop."

"Nicely handled," Jackal's cool voice cut in. He gave a sly smirk. "You would have been wasted as a priestess."

Core tilted her head, made a funny face, and asked, "What in Gaia are you talking about?"

He chuckled and turned his gaze to Poccrian. "As for you, little mad one, it's a pleasure to meet you."

"Little mad one?" the imp pondered. Then, he laughed, saying, "I like it!"

Core had had a question she wanted to ask for a while. "Why, exactly, do they call you 'Jackal'?"

He laughed a chilling laugh. "For the same reason they call you 'Kitty Girl'," he answered.

"You mean you can—"

"Yes, I can," Jackal cut her off.

"Heh heh!" Poccrian laughed. "Now we have the Jackal and the Kitty."

This caused Core to laugh, happily, and Jackal even chuckled a bit.

"Well, anyway," Core-ollette said, "I was told you could help me find the rest of my… um… team."

Jackal nodded. "That would be correct."

"Where to start, then?" Poccrian questioned.

"Well, if the information I received is accurate, then two should be near the Cindervalix volcano," he pondered.

"Then, what are we waiting for?" the imp said, excitedly.

Core nodded. "Yeah! Let's go."


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter Six: Questions

It had become dark, shortly after the three set out. Jackal noticed Core was tiring, so he suggested that they rest.

"So, who sent you?" Jackal asked the girl.

Core looked up into his eyes. "To where?"

"To find me," he answered.

"Oh, Orryn, the dragon," she replied, sleepily. "He told me the Fire Ziggurat was one of your favorite places."

"… It is," he responded, quietly.

"How did he know?" Core questioned, becoming rather intrigued.

Jackal glanced to where Poccrian slept soundly; silently wishing the imp would change the subject. He turned back to the girl and opened his mouth to say something, but Core cut him off.

"It's alright. You don't need to tell me right now, only when you're ready." She said, sensing his feelings.

The man nodded and, quietly, said, "… Than you."

Core nodded. "There are just so many questions I want to ask you. You don't need to answer them, but I'd still like to ask them."

"Feel free to. I would be more than happy to share your curiosity," he responded.

"Okay then, how old are you?" she started.

"I am two hundred and eleven years old."

"What's your real name? I mean, if Jackal isn't."

"Well, Jackal really is my first name. My last name is Toreka."

"Oh! I like that! Of course, you already know my name is Core-ollette Lee," Core laughed.

"You should probably get some rest now, Core of Souls."

"Alright. Thanks for answering some of my questions. Oh, and, please, feel free to call me 'Core'. Goodnight."

"It was my pleasure… Core. Sweet dreams."


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven: Cindervalix

"The Cindervalix is just ahead," Jackal stated, coolly.

Core glanced up at him with a gleam of admiration. "So, any idea who the people we're supposed to meet are?" she asked.

"A girl named Ignis and a boy named Igneous," the man answered, keeping his line of vision straight ahead.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get a move on!" Poccrian said, impatient.

"Like you have any room to talk," Core retorted.

"What's that supposed to mean?" the imp questioned.

"Well, for one, you're on top of my head, so I don't see you 'getting a move on' any time soon. And two, you were the one who took a half an hour to wake up this morning."

The imp made a funny face, then said, "Come on, Core-olletti, lighten up."

Before the girl could retort anything else, Jackal cut in. "We should keep moving."

Core nodded and did as she was told.

A few minutes passed and the girl really wanted to ask Jackal some more questions, but, just as she opened her mouth, the man put a hand out to stop her and whispered, "Get down!"

"What's going on?" Core whispered back.

"It appears that your first two teammates are in the middle of a battle. Why charge in, when we can watch?" Jackal answered.

"Wait," Poccrian said. "You mean the two things that have flames covering their bodies are her teammates?" he questioned, in disbelief.

"Yes, it would appear that Karglen has already done his work here. Now, watch as both The Scorching and Blazing Souls handle themselves," the man responded.

And so, they watched…


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight:

Ignis and Igneous

The two beings covered in flames joined hands and unleashed a frightening, yet mightily amazing, fire storm.

"Whoa…," the awed Core-ollette managed to whisper. She turned her head to Jackal. "How come their abilities are so different than mine?" she questioned.

Jackal shrugged. "Even I don't know everything," he answered.

"I think it's over," Poccrian stated, bringing their attention back to the flaming kids.

The man stood up and helped Core up, then headed forward. The girl watched, in even greater awe, when the flames on the boy and girl just disappeared.

Jackal bowed and Core followed his lead, causing Poccrian to either fall off or take flight. "Watch it!" the imp yelled.

"Greetings," the man said, coolly.

The boy and girl bowed back. "Hello," the boy said, his red hair bouncing and orange eyes shining. "I am Igneous Charo, The Blazing Soul."

"And, I am Ignis Charo, The Scorching Soul," the girl added, with a bright smile.

Core straightened back up and responded, "I am Core-ollette Lee, The Core of Souls."

Ignis and Igneous looked stricken. Then the girl broke into a cheerful smile. She took Core's hands and chimed, "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Core-ollette."

"Yes," agreed her brother. "We have heard much about you."

"As have we," Poccrian spoke up, flying around their heads.

"And what are your names, may I ask?" Ignis questioned the imp and Jackal.

"I am Poccrian, imp of flame," the little guy said, cheerfully.

"And, I am Jackal Toreka, The Seeker of the Souls."

Core looked up at him in a mixture of utter shock, amazement, and sadness. "How come you never told me that?" she asked, sounding slightly hurt.

The man looked at her in what could be interpreted as surprise. "You mean, Orryn didn't tell you?"

She shook her head. "No, he didn't." The girl peered into his eyes. "Was I not supposed to know?"

"Not that I know of," Jackal answered, feeling sympathy for her. He didn't want to make it seem like he didn't trust her. They may have only met yesterday, but he had already become quite fond of Core. "I'm sorry. If I had known that you didn't, I would have said," he responded, soothingly.

Core's face lightened up a little. So, he really does care, she thought. Then nodded and smiled.

Jackal turned his attention back to the other two. "Anyway," he said, "we were wondering if you two would embark on a journey to save the world with us."

Core's heart gave a jump, when he had said "we".

Ignis and Igneous glanced at each other, then nodded, the boy saying, "That was what we received our abilities for. So, yes."


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine:

That Was the Day

The small group decided to stop in one of the villages in Flame Fang, for a bite to eat. Poccrian and Ignis were deep in conversation about, seemingly, nothing, Core was questioning Igneous, and Jackal was listening intently.

"Your abilities are so awesome!" Core stated, more-than-excitedly.

"Heh heh!" the red-haired boy chuckled. "I don't really know about that. Anyway, I've been wondering what you two's abilities are."

The brunet looked up at Jackal, with a bright smile. "Actually," she said, "we both have basically the same ability."

Jackal nodded. "Yes, we are both endowed with the abilities of animals. Not in the sense that we can become animals, but can grow certain things. I the Jackal. And she, the cat."

"Wow…," an awed Igneous managed to say. "You mean, you can grow animal ears and tails?"

"Yup!" Core confirmed, happily. "And, well, I don't know about Jackal, but my eyes and nose change and I get claws. I also have all of the senses a cat has too."

The man nodded, again. "Same for me, except for the jackal."

Poccrian, out of nowhere, laughed and said, "That's even better! Now we have animal people and fire entities!"

Core face-palmed herself. "Uh, thanks, Poccrian. Good to know."

To which everyone else started laughing.

The brunet turned to the imp. "Gee, thanks a lot."

The little guy jumped, landed on her head, laughed, and answered, "Just doin' my job, babe."

Everyone laughed harder as Core-ollette blushed.

The group ate a bit more, then the girl posed the question, "So, anyway. How did you and Ignis get your powers, Igneous?"

The red-haired boy's face turned grim. He nudged his sister to get her attention. He took a deep breath. "It was three years ago. Our parents were away for a week. I was twelve, Ignis ten, and… Ignia, our little sister, was five. We were having supper when there was an ear-splitting crash from the living room. I told my sisters to wait while I went to take a look. What I saw was… it was utterly horrifying. There were insectoid Drones all over the place. They pinned me to the ground, along with Ignis shortly after. We two were made to watch as they kidnapped Ignia…"

"And that's when it happened," Ignis continued. "We felt as though our cores warmed and closed our eyes. Power flowed through our limbs in striking amounts. We opened our eyes and saw two-foot flames spouting from all parts of our bodies."

"That was the day we swore to get revenge and to save our sister," Igneous concluded.

Core looked at them in a mixture of empathy and sympathy. "I understand," she said, quietly. "But, believe me when I say this: I have met the one responsible for the Drone attack. He is the being who sent me to find Jackal. He told Poccrian to come and watch over me. He does everything for a reason."

"Who is he?" Ignis questioned.

Core glanced over at Jackal, who nodded in return. "He is a large orange dragon with shining gold spines. His name is Orryn," she answered. "I met him because I was on a Drone hunt. I was on a hunt because I had felt the same way you do."

"What happened? How did you get your powers?" Igneous asked, his features softening a bit.

"It was nine years ago. I was three. Just before I was called down to eat, I asked myself, 'Am I special? Was I meant for anything? Anything at all? If not, then… why am I here?' After I had supper and came back up to my room, there were loud crashes and bangs and, above all, my mother screaming…" She took a deep breath. "I went down to see what was going on and saw the Drones standing over my parents' motionless bodies. The one called 'Karglen' said that this was their gift to me and that they looked forward to seeing me again. That's when I grew the cat ears, tail, and nose. And when I vowed to get revenge…" Core let out a soft whimper. "I was also the day I found this," she added, fingering her blue tear-drop necklace. "Orryn called it 'the Soul Emblem'."

"… They killed your parents…," Igneous said, quietly. "And, yet, you still found the heart to forgive them?"

The brunet nodded. "Yes, but only after he told me why."

"_Why_ did he do it?" Ignis questioned.

Core looked up and, with growing confidence, responded, "Because, in order for the Sacrosanct Souls to awaken their powers, something devastating was required to happen. Those who we loved most were the easiest, most obvious targets."

"But, if the Drones work for this… Orryn, then… Ignia should still be alive!" Igneous exclaimed, relief spreading across his features.


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten:

Where to Next?

"Exactly!" Core answered Igneous. "You received your powers the day she was kidnapped, right?"

"That's right," the red-haired boy responded, not really understand- never mind, his light just went on. "Wait! You mean, she may have powers too?"

Poccrian smiled. "That's my babe, always thinking ahead! You're trying to say that Orryn would be keeping her safe and helping her hone her skills, correct?"

"Yup!" the brunet confirmed, with a nod.

"Well, then what have we got to lose?" Ignis cut in, her bright red eyes shining. "Let's go get her now!"

"Actually," Jackal said, "I have been informed that we are to seek you're next two teammates first."

"I see…," the orange-haired girl replied, a gloomy look crossing her face.

"Hey, it'll be alright," Igneous consoled his sister. "Ignia's a tough little girl. She'll be fine."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Ignis said, smiling appreciatively at her brother.

On a different note, Core turned to Jackal asking, "So, where to next?"

"I wouldn't worry about that yet. We're going to stay in this village for the remainder of the day," came the man's response. "However, if you really want to know, out next destination will be Ice Talon."

"Alright," she agreed.

"Ew!" Poccrian said. "Why do we have to go there? It's always so _cold_."

"I'm certain that _you_ will be fine," Core retorted. "You, Igneous, and Ignis all have fiery abilities. If there's anyone I'm worried about, it'll be Jackal or myself."

"Don't worry, Core-olletti. I'll keep you warm," the imp replied.

Core scoffed. "Warm what? My head? You do realize how small you are, right?"

"Perhaps it would be better if I were to keep you warm, then," Jackal said, a hint of humor in his voice.

She could feel her face getting redder by the second. Poccrian laughed and sang, "Core-olletti's blushing!"

"B-be quiet!" Core demanded, defensively.

Everyone laughed in return.


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven:

First Dreaming

A bright purple light.

A girl who looked about Core-ollette's age standing in the middle of a barren wasteland.

A dragon around the same size as the girl went to land next to her.

The two took their stances, as an army of disfigured creatures appeared around them. The arm rushed forward, seemingly engulfing the two.

When it seemed all hope was lost, the girl and dragon rose up as one, pure energy emanating from their bodies. Purple energy moved in waves along the ground and hailed down from above.

The dark army was wiped out, but was instantly replaced with thousands more. Sinister yellow eyes appeared in the background of the dark horizon. An evil, chilling laugh rose above everything, sending shivers through the very earth…

Core's eyes snapped open and she sat up, gasping for breath. Beads of sweat rolled off her face.

She looked around frantically. _What the hell was that about?!_ She asked herself_. It… It felt so real. It was almost like I was there._

She took a deep breath, attempting to calm down. It was just a dream, right? Nothing to worry about.

Jackal woke up and asked her, "What's going on?"

"Just a bad dream," she replied, trying to convince herself and failing miserably. "It was nothing, really."

"You don't sound like you believe that," he said, knowingly. After Core didn't reply, he tried to console her. "It'll be fine. We can talk about it in the morning, if you want to. But, just try to sleep for now."

Core nodded and lie back down. Jackal gently covered her back up and tucked her in.

"Thank you, Jackal," the girl said, trying to make herself comfortable.

"No problem," came his response, as he fluffed his pillow and made himself comfortable too.

"You're the first close friend I've ever had," Core stated, very heartfelt.

This took the man by surprise for a moment. "… I'm glad I can be your… friend… Core-ollette," he finally managed to reply.

She sighed. "Well, goodnight. Have sweet dreams," she said.

"… You too," Jackal returned, not entirely sure how to reply. Mainly because, she was his first real friend too. He patted the girl's head, then pulled his covers back over him, in an attempt to go back to sleep.


End file.
